ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - The Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) interior ministry on Thursday denied the presence of Ukrainian drones or military personnel in the Region, insisting upon its neutrality in regional and international conflicts, after Iranian reports claimed that Kyiv had deployed drone units to the Region.

On Tuesday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)-affiliated Tasnim News Agency reported, citing an allegedly informed security source, that Ukraine has allegedly deployed thousands of drones to several countries in the Middle East, singling out the Kurdistan Region by name.

The article deemed the supposed move a “scandal” and part of a broader campaign by Europe and NATO against Iran, adding that Tehran is “considering the appropriate option to respond to it.”

“The Ministry of Interior of the Kurdistan Regional Government rejects all rumors and reports published in a number of media outlets about the presence of Ukrainian drones, forces, or military units in the territory of the Kurdistan Region, and fully affirms that such campaigns are false and baseless,” read the KRG statement.

“We emphasize the fundamental and unchanging position of the Kurdistan Region in pursuing a policy of neutrality, refraining from regional and international conflicts, and rejecting any attempt to use the territory of the region as a base for any military or hostile movement against any country.”

In July, Iraq’s National Security Advisor Qasim al-Aboudi told local media that security forces have arrested a number of groups accused of carrying out attacks against a number of facilities in the country, and claimed that: “After interrogating them, they admitted that they are working for Ukraine.”

The Ukrainian Embassy in Iraq on Wednesday also denied the Iranian allegations as “completely baseless,” stressing its respect for Iraqi sovereignty.

Ukraine has developed advanced anti-drone capabilities during its war with Russia and has already deployed experts to the region, including to the UAE and Saudi Arabia, to assist in countering Iranian drone and missile strikes in the Gulf.

The Kurdistan Region has been targeted by over 1,000 drone and missile strikes since the outbreak of the US-Israeli war on Iran in February, despite Erbil maintaining its neutrality.

“We reiterate that maintaining the security and stability of the Region is our priority, and in no way will we allow the Kurdistan Region to be involved or dragged into these conflicts,” the KRG statement concluded.